Wikipedia:Help desk/Archives/2020 January 8

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January 8

Help:Cite errors/Cite error references missing key

the article is "Gary Westfahl"

Cite error: A list-defined reference named "food" is not used in the content (see the help page).

I can't find any reference to food. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Beegeebright (talk • contribs) 03:28, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Can the cite error be removed? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Beegeebright (talk • contribs) 05:24, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

@Beegeebright: In the case of this page, the reference is defined within the 'references' section. It can then just be 'invoked' by using <refname=XXX/> within the content. (See WP:REFB for more on referencing). However, the error was fixed as part of this edit which also reverted some of your changes. (Please remember to sign your posts on talk pages by typing four keyboard tildes like this: ~~~~. Or, you can use the [ reply ] button, which automatically signs posts.) Thank you. Eagleash (talk) 06:26, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Sorry

I accidentally added something to page as a joke not knowing it would actually publish as I thought it would be a protected page. When it did publish I immediately freaked out and deleted it. As I was deleting it I must have changed around the format and now some information is in the wrong columns and I don't know how to change it as I don't understand the editing format. I feel really guilty and do not want to be sued by anyone. I also need Wikipedia for school. My question is, will I be kicked off Wikipedia? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8003:3892:D101:9035:22B7:8A2E:2C4A (talk) 07:04, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Help:Editing should help you out a bit. That page will tell you all you need to know about how the editing software works :).—Mythdon (talk • contribs) 07:06, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

I fixed the problem. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Nobody will sue you or block you for an innocent mistake; just please try to do any editing tests in the WP:SANDBOX, or better, register an account and use your personal sandbox. Also, when asking for help, please provide more information about the problem is (in this case, a link to the article, BTS videography, would have helped). Thanks. —[AlanM1(talk)]— 08:32, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Philippines museum

Good morning, I have a small statue which was made in the Philippines many years ago. I would like to contact the natural History Museum there. Do you have a contact email? Thanks, Rex Johansen — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A00:23C7:99A0:A400:D8C5:AC12:7FFB:52CD (talk) 10:34, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Hello Rex, this is the desk for help in editing Wikipedia; our reference desk may be able to help you. Eagleash (talk) 11:03, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

username change

how to change my username? please help me — Preceding unsigned comment added by Imdiwakardayal (talk • contribs) 12:35, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Imdiwakardayal, given you haven't made many edits, I'd just create another account and abandon this one. Permitted by policy in these cases. ~~ OxonAlex - talk 12:39, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Deleting my account

Hi I accidently signed up to wikipedia when I thought I was writting to some producer. Now I can’t find a way to delete what I wrote or delete my account. This is really unfair. I have searched and searched but you don’t seem to have a deactivate my account option nor any way to withdraw what I have posted. I am so disapointed with wikipedia — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jelaraja (talk • contribs) 14:04, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

The mistaken edit was reverted by a bot. You can't delete an account, but you can abandon it and not use it again. --David Biddulph (talk) 14:09, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Hello User:David Biddulph, I am sorry to bother but I have also some sort of similar problem with my account. I created this long ago and my email address has now changed and I have closed down my old address and got a new one. What should I do? How can i transfer my existing account to the new email please? Or would I have to open a new account and close the old one? Kindly guide thanks. AsadUK200 (talk) 21:33, 11 January 2020 (UTC)AsadUK200

AsadUK200 You can change your email address in your Preferences. 331dot (talk) 21:38, 11 January 2020 (UTC)

Thank you User:331dot. Best wishes, AsadUK200 (talk) 21:40, 11 January 2020 (UTC)AsadUK200

question re talk page indents

how do you make that symbol on a talk page that means you are resetting the indents, ie moving the next paragraph all the way back to flush left?--Sm8900 (talk) 14:09, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

For information about indentation, see WP:Indentation. --David Biddulph (talk) 14:12, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

You can use {{od}}; just as I have done here. Eagleash (talk) 16:06, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

terrific. thanks. --Sm8900 (talk) 20:40, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Article Gary Westfahl

I am somewhat new at this and appreciate your patience. I am still getting the cite reference that I can't make sense of, so it keeps reverting.

beegeebrightBeegeebright (talk) 17:14, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

@Beegeebright: Please see the answer given in the thread above. Please do not start new threads on the same subject. Thank you. Eagleash (talk) 17:34, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

@Beegeebright: Additionally, please see the talk page history as to why your edits were reverted. It seems you are removing sourced material and replacing it with unsourced content. If your edits are reverted, please do not just restore them; this is known as edit warring and could land you in difficulty with the community. See WP:BRD and discuss with other editors involved to reach consensus. Note though, that unsourced material is always likely to be challenged. Eagleash (talk) 17:40, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Institute_of_Cost_and_Management_Accountants_of_Pakistan

Hello There!

I desperately need help to sort out why when I edit a page for my client, it goes back to the old one? URL is: Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan

I'd really appreciate your help.

Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abdullahejaz2 (talk • contribs) 18:40, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

If they are your client, then you have a conflict of interest, and shouldn't directly edit the article. Best Wishes, Lee Vilenski ^{(talk • contribs)} 18:43, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

... and you are required to make the mandatory declaration of paid editing. --David Biddulph (talk) 18:50, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

@Abdullahejaz2: You can use the "view history" tab at the top of the article page to look at the edit history of the article to see why other editors have reverted your edits. You may then discuss this with those editors (see WP:BRD) on the article's talk page at Talk:Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan. -Arch dude (talk) 20:05, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

draft: Yardley Taylor

My draft page on Yardley Taylor is ready for review. What is my next step to send it along? I've searched for solving this mystery, but finally have given up and must ask for help. Thank you, Lee1101 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Lee1101 (talk • contribs) 21:30, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Lee1101 I will shortly add the appropriate information to allow you to submit it for review; you will need to click a button on the screen once I add it. 331dot (talk) 21:36, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Merging articles & achieving consensus when no other editors respond

Hi, I'm interested in contributing to a series of pages on instant photography topics and I've found Polaroid transfer, which I think should be merged into Polaroid art as it has similar notability to other Polaroid creative techniques. I've posted about this in the talk page a month ago but no other editors responded. I'm not sure if I should proceed because I don't know if I need consensus. GoodCrossing (talk) 22:25, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

​If there's no opposition you can just be bold and merge them. – Thjarkur (talk) 22:41, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Thanks. I will probably make a draft on my userpage for Polaroid Art while I work on it and merge them once it's ready. GoodCrossing (talk) 22:55, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

@GoodCrossing: If you have not already done so, please review WP:MERGE which contains full instructions when merging including how to note attribution and also tagging to draw attention to proposal discussions. Cheers. Eagleash (talk) 23:48, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

I have, thanks. I've tagged the articles and created a discussion on Polaroid art's talk page. Another editor has also recommended the merge so I'll write the merged article as soon as possible. GoodCrossing (talk) 23:09, 9 January 2020 (UTC)